Dayton’s Javon Bennett reacts after making a 3-pointer in the second half against Florida State on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at UD Arena.
David Jablonski
Former Dayton Flyers point guard Javon Bennett plans to play a fifth season of college basketball at Gonzaga, according to a report on Wednesday, Aug. 5, by Joe Tipton, of On3.com.
Bennett was one of 15 Ohio college basketball players — all of whom started their careers in 2022 and played four seasons — who filed a lawsuit in June seeking an injunction against the NCAA’s age-based eligibility model. The new rule allows athletes to play up to five seasons in five years but excludes athletes who exhausted their eligibility under the old rules in 2026.
Hamilton County Judge Christopher Wagner granted a preliminary injunction in July, siding with the players. Similar lawsuits have been filed across the country. The NCAA has continued to fight the rulings.
Bennett played the last three seasons at Dayton after playing one season at Merrimack. He graduated from UD in the spring. He entered the transfer portal in the spring in case he received a fifth season of eligibility.
Last season, Bennett led the Flyers in scoring with 15.8 points per game. He made the Atlantic 10 Conference first team.
Bennett scored 1,238 points for Dayton. He ranks 33rd in school history in scoring. He’s the only player under 6-foot who has scored 1,000 points for the Flyers. He became the 19th player to reach the milestone in two or three seasons.
Bennett fills a need for Gonzaga, which lost starting point guard Mario Saint-Supery, in July. He plans to play professional basketball in Spain.
Gonzaga finished 31-4 last season. It has played in every NCAA tournament held since 1999.
By transferring to Gonzaga, Bennett is following in the footsteps of three other recent Flyers who graduated from UD and finished their careers elsewhere: Zimi Nwokeji (Jacksonville), Malachi Smith (Connecticut), Koby Brea (Kentucky); and Kobe Elvis (Oklahoma).